Residency Status FAQ

International students are not considered residents of the state until they gain permanent resident status from the Immigration and Naturalization Service and have lived in South Carolina for one year after the "resident since" date on their card, or have provided verification of full-time employment in South Carolina.

It is important that each applicant for admission and each enrolled student know his or her resident status for tuition payment and understand the regulations governing resident status. If a student is unsure about residency, information is available at the Admissions Office.

The initial determination of one's resident classification is made at the time of admission. The determination at that time, and any determination made thereafter, prevails for each semester until the determination is challenged successfully.